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| | | (JENNIFER BROCK/www.northfulton.com)
Northview High School wrestling coach Travis Blake, left, stands with Forrest Hormel, a rising junior who recently won the 119 pound Georgia Freestyle State Wrestling Championship. It is the first wrestling state title for the school. (click for larger version) | |
June 25, 2008
www.northfulton.com
JOHNS CREEK -- For Forrest Hormel, a Northview High School rising junior, winning the state freestyle wrestling title is a great accomplishment. And, it happens to be the first wrestling state title for Northview.
Hormel, a 16-year-old rising junior, won the 119-pound Georgia Freestyle State Wrestling Championship at Collins Hill High School.
"I was ecstatic," said Hormel, who also took second place in the Greco Roman competition. "I didn't think I was going to win."
He started wrestling in eighth grade, after his dad Jeff – also a Northview wrestling coach - talked about his own wrestling competitions.
"It just sounded like a lot of fun," said Hormel.
His first season, Hormel held a 2-15 record. He grabbed a winning season freshman year and now, a state championship.
"He's come a long way," said Travis Blake, wrestling coach at Northview. "I've seen a lot of good wrestlers come through [Northview] but I haven't seen anyone that's had the heart and dedication that Forrest has."
Besides competing on the school's varsity team, Hormel also trains with wrestling champion Lee Kemp a few days a week.
"It shows Forrest has basically done the things to get him from where he was to where is now," said Blake. "He's doing the right things. That's what it takes."
Hormel said in order to succeed, a combination of mental and physical training – as well as discipline – is needed.
"Mentally, it's really challenging," said Hormel. "A lot of people make the mistake of psyching themselves out before a match. But you have to know that you can keep going and know that you can't quit. You can never let your guard down during a match because anything can happen."
Blake said the wrestling coaches try to match a practice to a wrestling match, following basic rules of the sport.
"It's the discipline that's critical," said Blake. "[Hormel] has his head on his shoulders and knows what it takes mentally and physically."
Blake added that Hormel will compete in 30-40 wrestling matches before the regular school season begins in late October.
"He's leading by example right now – setting the tone for the team," said Dugan Turnbow, wrestling coach at Northview. "We're excited about the possibilities for this coming season."
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